The next pro league, or lacrosse Fyre Fest? Digging into Alpha Lacrosse League.
A new lacrosse league, now called the Alpha Lacrosse League, launched this year, presenting a potential new avenue for talented players to play pro lacrosse. The stated goal is to start competing in 2027, with a touring model, in order to give more players an opportunity to play pro lacrosse. It’s been a very rapid roll out, from first appearing as a social media account in the spring of 2026 to announcing coach and player signings through the late summer and fall.
However, the league rollout has raised red flags. A stream of AI generated content, coupled with rapid fluctuation in the number of teams, and unsubstantiated claims when it comes to league finances have led to healthy skepticism about the league and its founder, Michael Maloney.
To start with, Maloney’s LinkedIn page lists his Cannabis venture as CRS Cannabis, with a start date in 2016 and an end date in 2022. He explains that institutional capital from a firm called Poseidon Asset Management helped him scale the business before a multi million dollar sale to MedMen.
In 2018, a large Cannabis company named MedMen was rapidly making acquisitions as they aggressively expanded during the legalization boom. They made five acquisitions in 2018 on their way to a peak valuation of $3 billion, plus three more acquisitions in 2019. The last recorded acquisition by MedMen that was verifiable occurred in 2019. It was a business called One Love Beach Club, a dispensary, purchased from the Abrams family for $13 million..
In 2019, MedMen stock tanked. It fell by 92%. In 2024, MedMen filed for bankruptcy and liquidation. Their aggressive expansion proved to be too rapid, and other market factors, along with some legal issues, resulting in a spectacular fall from that $3 billion peak in 2018. This is an extremely abbreviated summary of MedMen’s end, but what is really important to understand is the dates rather than the specifics of the events. MedMen’s acquisition primarily spree spans 2018-2019, the stock tanks in 2019, and Maloney says CRS Cannabis ran from 2016-2022.
Maloney’s LinkedIn shows the ALL as founded in March 2026. They show up on social media channels that spring. On July 3rd, they announced their “Founding Eight” franchises. At this point, they are called the Apex Lacrosse League. The graphics appearing on social media are all clearly AI generated. While the name is now changed, a caption from a July 4th post still has the Apex AI logo, and the name in the caption.
A few days after announcing the Founding Eight, they stop using the name Apex and start strictly going by ALL. They also announce that a merch shop will open that week. It does not. Merch appears for the first time in late October, first with ALL branded shirts and shorts, then limited Dallas Roadrunners gear.
According to a Reddit post by Maloney, the rebrand came at the request of “another successful event organizer” that “we now work very closely alongside”. Bryan Hopper is the CEO of Apex Lacrosse Events. Maloney would say in another post that the name change was “out or respect for Byan (sic) Hopper”. The posts:
Apex is a nationally recognized name in the lacrosse world that holds talent showcases and tournaments for lacrosse talent of all ages across the country, with thousands of alumni having gone on to play college lacrosse. Apex reached out to Maloney to ask him to change the name of the league, which Maloney did after about four weeks. As for Apex working closely alongside the ALL, Hopper told Sticks In, “We have absolutely no business or personal relationship with this league or its founder. Period.”
These posts also mention that "there are close to 30 people making this thing run," but they are not yet named anywhere.
On August 5th, a post from the ALL says it will provide professional opportunities for elite men’s and women’s talent. That same post now lists 10 founding franchises, up from eight.
August 10, the ALL posts that they will hold their first ever draft in Miami, Florida. It will occur on March 6th and 7th, 2027. This post calls out that 12 franchises will be making picks, up from 10 teams just five days earlier and eight teams about a month earlier. The post says the two full days will have draft coverage, fan experiences, a draft showcase game, and VIP packages available. The InterContinental Hotel in Miami, where the post says the draft is be held, did not have a record of any ALL event being scheduled on that date or any other date. The post also calls out a meet and greet with franchise owners, which would be a departure from the single entity structure the league is stated to have.
On August 11, the ALL Instagram account began announcing they have signed players. Early names include Andrew Bracy, Ronnie Fernando, Zach Terry, and Cameron Mule. While announced, these players did not all actually sign contracts yet. Fernando confirmed to Sticks In he has not signed a contract. The players announced since then span a wide range of ages. They announced Connor English, who graduated from Cornell in 2013, but also players only a year or two removed from college.
On August 13, the ALL posts a combined schedule with 12 tour stops for the 2027 summer. Participants reportedly pay $30 to participate in an ALL combine, though some combine attendees confirmed to Sticks In that not everyone who participated had to pay.
A few days later, they announced $2.3 million in funding from a private partner. This post calls out women's lacrosse as well, but there seems to be no other momentum or effort to build a women's teams or mentions of female players after this post. The post says they are “four months ahead” of a Series A funding goal, and the “finance team chomping at the bit to secure B series.”
In September, Maloney's Reddit account for the league begins responding to posts and comments questioning the validity of the ALL. At this time he says the ALL has 12 teams, and claims that Maverick/Cascade offered partnership to the league. He claims that 800+ players have registered for ALL combines, and that he has signed coaches and secured “major partnerships”. He claims to have a broadcast deal in the works to “heavily televise” the season and while he won’t name who it is with, claims that the partner also works with the NFL and NBA. Further, he says primary investors thus far is a private investment company out of Northern California that he has worked with on multiple successful business ventures. Sticks In is not able to verify that any broadcast deal is in place, nor the investment firm mentioned. But Poseidon is based in northern California, and referenced on Maloney's LinkedIn as aiding his cannabis company exit.
Reddit posts from the account contain a number of claims. One such claim was that the Premier Lacrosse League had actually begun to support the ALL in some ways. The post reads “We have a little shy of 4 million in investments, 40+ PLL players committed, & the PLL is starting to help support us as well." He ends the post saying "look for us on TV in 2027", a nod to the broadcast deal he say he has.
A PLL spokesperson said, “the league is not working with, and has had no communications with, the ALL.”
On September 10, the ALL posted that they have another $1.2 million from their asset management partners. They do not use specific names, but they say it’s the same partner as the original $2.3 million. The post discusses that if the league hits certain benchmarks, they unlock access to more capital. This language is important as it’s used in later, more specific claims.
Also on September 10, the ALL reached out to Pro Athletics, a business run by former lacrosse pro Jerry Ragonese, about providing equipment and apparel for players, coaches, and the league. It was their second communication to Pro Athletics, but talks ended when Ragonese pointed out that the league already appeared to have a deal with another apparel company.
On September 15, the ALL began announcing coach hires. They name BJ O’Hara, Ted Garber, Steve Toll, Jeff Desko, Tyler Hall, Bo Francy and Tim Puls as coaches. Later, Tom Carmein would be named as a head coach as well.
On September 19, the Charlotte combine occurs. Reportedly approximately six players attend.
On Monday, September 21st, Sticks In reached out to ALL to inquiry about a player list or any media available from the Charlotte combine. ALL responded that they are actively building out the player pool on the website and media will be up by “tomorrow or Wednesday”, they just plan on finishing coaching announcements prior to posting content from the combine to keep the page looking as organized as possible. They also say they’re having another Charlotte combine, with 70+ players registered. They also said they love what I do with the podcast.
On September 23, Maloney went on the Mitchell Pehlke show to talk about the ALL. He appeared via Zoom, and the name on his zoom looked to still be Apex Lacrosse League. Maloney appeared in a hoodie, and the room Maloney was in was lined with posters for Johnny Cash, Rage Against the Machine, and other rock bands. On the show, he said “we work with Poseidon Asset Management currently. We work with them, we are funded by them fully so far. Outside of them I have private capital of my own I’m willing to throw at it. They have set certain benchmarks for us to reach in terms of growth and progress that does unlock further capital from them as well.” This claim is in line with the claims from ALL September posts that called out $2.3 million plus $1.2 million in funding from a private firm, and access to more following the league hitting benchmarks.
Maloney said on the show that he successfully exited a cannabis business with the help of Poseidon in 2022, selling to MedMen. He said the business was called Slo Dro Co, and it was the first cannabis delivery service in his area. A search through LinkedIn and through news articles shows Slo Dro Co as a company founded by a man named Nicolas Pitchon. Pitchon lists himself as the founder, and his time with Slo Dro Co ended in 2019. After that, Pitchon has gone on to other careers in California, and has a new LinkedIn profile. In a brief call, Pitchon said he did not recognize the name Michael Maloney, or Michael Schuller (I inquired about both names since in 2019 Schuller was likely the name being used) before he ended the conversation abruptly. I was not able to find any records linking Maloney to Slo Dro Co. Also, recall that official records show MedMen’s final acquisition occurred in 2019, their stock tanked, and they were in serious financial trouble by 2020, years prior to Maloney saying MedMen bought the business he claims was his.
Maloney also told Pehlke that the draft venue may actually change from Miami to Long Island, on top of teasing possible expansion into the region.
In an appearance on the Colorado Lacrosse News podcast, Maloney made further claims about the ALL that cannot be verified. He said “we have 25-30 people behind the scenes that sit on the board of directors.” He credits this group with execution so far, saying “I'm just an ideas guy”. He again claims the $3.5 million in investments but without naming who is making said investment. Despite his earlier Reddit post claiming to have a broadcast deal with someone who works with the NFL and NBA, Maloney claimed they are “ working on a broadcast” deal on the Colorado Lacrosse podcast. He offers no information about who that deal could be with. He also claims the ALL has a corporate discount with VRBO, as the league’s plan for accommodations is to book large rental properties to house all 22 players per team at a time. VRBO did not respond to requests for verification that ALL had a corporate relationship with them. A search on VRBO for properties that can house 22 adults, available June 3-6th (Thursday through Sunday of the scheduled first weekend of the season in Charlotte), returns a single property that would have near the number of required beds, in this case 19. Players are told bed sharing will not happen in their travel. It is unclear how eight teams would each have their own house each weekend.
He also said ALL had hired a marketing company, but would not say who. He referenced a talent acquisition staff when it came to finding players, but did not say who is on that staff. He said the right partnerships are important when it comes to apparel, and that they started with a bunch but have slimmed it down. He said one company did all the combine uniforms. Recall that in early September, ALL reached out to Pro Athletics but talks didn’t progress when Pro Athletics pointed out the ALL appeared to have a sponsorship with another vendor.
Maloney confirmed on the podcast that the ALL tried to get Greg Gurenlian, one of the most accomplished pros of all time, to return to the field. Gurenlian retired in 2018, but came out of retirement to play in the PLL’s inaugural season before retiring again. Gurenlian said no to the ALL, but Maloney said that, “Greg is helping out the league on the back end.” Gurenlian confirmed that he offered to help with some rules since the ALL has said they intended to use NCAA faceoff rules, but that’s all.
Maloney’s information was contradictory on the two podcast appearances. He told Pehlke that salaries would range from $22,000 to $32,000 and that players get equity in the league. He told the Colorado Lacrosse Show that minimum salary is $10,000 and made no mention of players receiving equity, but did say there was a bonus structure for things like winning games and weekly MVPs. Maloney described his time playing lacrosse when he was younger, including a memory of playing in a Sixes tournament as a kid. Sixes as a format was launched in 2021, several years after Maloney finished high school.
Further, the finances as described in these appearances leaves a large gap. Maloney claimed $3.5 million in funding on both podcasts, and has done so in social media, with access to more, up to $10 million. Just doing the math raises red flags. Using the lowest number he gave for a minimum salary of $10,000 (even though he told Pehlke it was $22,000) per player. With eight teams at 22 players each, that’s already $1.76 million. If the number to use is $22,000, that’s $3.87 million. That’s just player salary, without spending a dime on executives, coaches, apparel, equipment, staffing, and the other dozens of items that are part of running a league. Recent posts from Maloney, as well as podcast appearances, say he is not taking an executive salary, but it's not clear if the rest of league leadership also intends to take reduced pay.
At this point, Maloney has, at different times, made reference to a finance team, a marketing company they hired, a talent acquisition team, and a 25-30 person board of directors, as well as hourly consultants. In a communication to Sticks In he references a social team and legal representation. To this date, the only employee listed on the ALL website, company LinkedIn page, and anywhere else is Maloney. There have been no announcements naming anyone on this board, or the hiring of anyone else by the league in a capacity other than player or coach. Players in the ALL said they did not know the names of anyone on the board of directors.
Sticks In spoke with players who confirmed they received contracts from the ALL. The lowest amount reported was $22,000, the minimum Maloney mentioned to Pehlke. Other players had contracts for $35,000 or more. In multiple instances, players reported receiving a contract with their name spelled incorrectly. Contract lengths for some players were about two pages. I was also able to obtain a templated San Diego Devil Dogs contract, which is longer. At the bottom, the template has a disclaimer saying licensed counsel should review before execution, which is often found on AI reviewed or generated legal documents.
On October 10, the Baltimore combine took place. There were roughly 30 participants. East Coast Dyes content creator Carson Frey was a participant, as was content creator Connor Eck who is known as D3Hero on social media. Maloney was on hand for the event and appeared in a video for the ECD YouTube channel that followed Frey and Eck through their tryout.
On October 15, Sticks In received an email from someone who registered for ALL’s Albany combine. This person was informed that the Albany combine would be moved to Syracuse and now take place on February 13, 2027 in the John A. Lally Athletics Complex. The email states the decision was made because too many coaches had scheduling conflicts. This person reached out because the email from the ALL didn’t BCC any of the recipients, which felt unusual. The names and emails of everyone registered for the combine were available, which did not seem like a professional or secure way to protect player information. Sticks In confirmed there were other communications from the league handled the same way. Since then, Syracuse officials have confirmed that there is not a combine currently scheduled in the Lally Athletics Complex at the date stated. In fact, there is nothing scheduled with the ALL on any date, and they have had no communication of any kind with the ALL.
On October 19th, curious about how rigorous the player vetting process is, I registered myself for the ALL player pool. Data collected is name, email, position, and university, without any ask about age, experience, or location. I also registered for a player combine, but did not yet have to pay. Participants pay on site. I have not received confirmation of my registration, or other information related to the combine.
On October 22, I contacted ALL to inquire about having Maloney on the Sticks In podcast to talk about the ALL. I reached out via social and via email, following up my September 21 request for media after the Charlotte combine, when the account said they enjoyed my podcast work. I received no response. That same day, the ALL X account replied to a user to say they have a podcasting partnership they fostered and talent will be talking about the league. To date, the only podcast appearances to talk about the ALL have been Maloney's as stated above.
Around this time, the league also began to more aggressively compare itself to the PLL, a sharp shift in tone. On podcast appearances about a week prior, Maloney specifically said he doesn’t want to compare himself to PLL, and he liked the things the league had done. On both podcasts he was very clear about not considering the PLL a competitor. But on LinkedIn, Maloney had these posts:
And on X, the league posted, among other things:
The tone shifted strongly from what had been the case earlier. On podcasts with Pehlke and Colorado Lacrosse News, Maloney specifically called out that he did not view the PLL as a competitor and thought they had good ideas. On the Colorado podcast, he said the PLL is "great people with a great concept," adding that ALL "doesn't want to step on toes" and they don't need to "create division." Maloney told Pehlke he viewed things as "more complimentary than rivalry".
On October 23, following multiple podcasts episodes and social media posts in which Maloney identified Poseidon as a league investor, Poseidon released a statement denying any financial involvement with the ALL in any capacity. It reads:
As public perception became increasingly skeptical, ALL doubled down on being on solid financial footing. They released a statement of their own, declaring that they actually had $10 million in funding, not the $4 million they had been previously stating. The statement says "the investors who led the $10 million in capital for the ALL have established their own asset management company. The only change that has occurred is the legal entity through which this investment is now held."
The statement continues "We are actively renegotiating and consolidating capital sources with the securing a single long term funding partner for the league." Full statement:
It is not immediately clear why, if the unnamed investors who led $10 million dollars through their now own asset management company is nothing to be worried about, the league would need to renegotiate and consolidate capital sources to secure a long term funding partner. The beginning of the statement suggests they have their funding partner, the next portion suggests they need one. Sources told Sticks In that Maloney communicated to people in the league that the finances were from two people who were with Poseidon at one point, but left to start their own investment firm. He did not name these people, or the firm. Multiple players spoke to Sticks In about this, and they were told two names, first name only of Jake and Neil, were investors. They were told these two were formerly at Poseidon, but aren't anymore, and that's the reason for the statement.
On October 24, I followed up on my interview request. ALL responded that they are incredibly busy lately, but would love to make it happen in the future.
After Poseidon released their statement, further scrutiny was undertaken not just by me, but by lacrosse fans and media members from around the sport. And more questions were raised. Michael Maloney doesn’t appear to be the ALL founder’s actual name. It’s Michael Dennis Schuller. He has at least four LinkedIn profiles under this name, where he lists himself as CEO of Ceres Extracts, Ceres Garden, and, on one of the profiles, Gateway Grips. He also lists himself as CEO of a pressure washing business in Missouri, though clicking the logo for the company takes you to a pressure washing business in Texas. Schuller was arrested in North Carolina in 2025 and charged with DWI, hit and run, and simple possession of a controlled substance. He was also arrested for the DWI in 2018 in California. A player who attended the Baltimore combine confirmed that Maloney told participants about a 2025 DUI at the event, and cited it as a reason for changing his name. On top of all of this, a record search shows that Michael Dennis Schuller, the name on his DWI arrest, currently has an active arrest warrant in Missouri for failure to appear after being cited for driving with a suspended license, this warrant was issued on October 26. Schuller also was named in a civil lawsuit in Arizona, which resulted in wage garnishment and Schuller being forced to pay rent, taxes, and other fees following an eviction. He also has a warrant in Arizona for failure to appear.
Poseidon’s website and materials do not list Slo Dro Co, CRS Cannabis (the company listed as Maloney’s previous employer on LinkedIn), Ceres Garden, or Ceres Extracts among their investments at any time. Further digging beyond the website reveals that there is no record of any connection between Poseidon and Maloney/Schuller using either name, nor any of these cannabis companies described by him on LinkedIn or in media appearances. It's not just that they didn't financially back the ALL, they appear to have never backed any of Maloney/Schuller's businesses of any kind.
Uncle Nicky’s Sex Tape, a lacrosse grip tape company, was announced as the official tape partner of the ALL on October 19. The different name of Maloney, and the arrest, came to public light on October 26. At that time, Uncle Nicky’s Sex Tape posted a statement on social media:
Bo Francy, who had been named the Head Coach of the San Diego franchise, posted this video, outlining his experience with the ALL and Maloney following the October 26 news cycle.
Since posting this video, Francy has been been removed from all ALL social channels, as well as the ALL website.
Maloney also blocked me on LinkedIn on October 26th. But I was able to take screenshots of the content there prior to being blocked.
Following the whirlwind of October 26th, in the wake of the video by Bo Francy and the publication of the 2025 DUI arrest with a mugshot, the ALL account posted a statement. It addresses the 2025 DUI, but not the name change or any other legal issues. It also remains vague when it comes to "partners" and "financial backers", who are still unnamed.
I asked Maloney/Schuller to join the Sticks In podcast via ALL social media accounts and with an inquiry through the ALL website. When Maloney/Schuller declined, I sent a list of detailed questions regarding, among other topics, information around how he plans to fund the ALL, why he said Poseidon was funding the league when they are not, who is funding the league, why he is using a different name, details around claims of selling a cannabis business, ALL partners in ticketing, broadcasting, marketing, and more.
Maloney/Schuller responded to my detailed list of questions with this statement, unedited and in full:
Thank you for reaching out regarding the Alpha Lacrosse League. We take our responsibility to our athletes, partners, investors, and the lacrosse community seriously. We welcome legitimate journalism, fair questions, and objective reporting about the development of our league. However, following an extensive review of the circumstances surrounding this inquiry and information brought to our attention regarding potential conflicts of interest, we have concerns about the independence and intent of this particular reporting process. Several aspects of your inquiry, combined with information we have reviewed concerning your relationships within the professional lacrosse landscape, have raised questions about whether the A.L.L. is being given a fair opportunity to provide context or whether conclusions have already been formed. We have no interest in participating in a process where our responses may be selectively presented or where the primary objective is to undermine the credibility of our organization rather than accurately report on its development. Our priority remains building the Alpha Lacrosse League, creating opportunities for professional lacrosse players, honoring our commitments, and establishing a sustainable product for fans, athletes, and partners. If your objective is to produce a balanced and fact-based account, we are willing to consider a constructive dialogue. Before proceeding, however, we would need clarification regarding the scope of the proposed story, the basis for the concerns being raised, and whether all parties referenced in your reporting will be afforded the same opportunity to provide context and respond to relevant claims. We also expect that any published reporting will accurately distinguish verified facts from allegations, opinions, and unconfirmed information, and that any substantive claims concerning the A.L.L. will be presented with appropriate context. We have received multiple concerning reports from the social media partners that delivered us a multitude of back-end data from opening an investigation with their social media teams and our legal representation. This brought lots of your relationships, messages to others, & a well-designed collaborative effort to deliberately undermine our business to light. At this time, we are not prepared to participate in an interview or answer any of your questions under circumstances that raise legitimate concerns about the fairness or independence of your process. We reserve the right to determine whether and how the league will engage with further requests as additional information becomes available. We remain focused on the work ahead and will continue to communicate directly with our athletes, partners, and supporters as the league progresses. I invite you to come out to some of the exhibition games we hold in early 2027 to show proof of concept, the talent pool the A.L.L is fielding, & would be happy to make a statement as well as an appearance on the podcast at that time. For now, we will continue to investigate and look into your credibility as we see you are heavily associated with a direct competitor. This is the same thing that you personally did when the organization you are heavily associated with tore down another organization by the name of Major Lacrosse League. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter Dan.
I plan on attending these exhibition games in 2027, provided I am able to verify when and where they are actually taking place and it's somewhere I can travel to. Since this communication was sent, the ALL website was updated on October 28 to say a preseason game will be played January 9, with the time and place still to be determined. The game is between the San Diego Devil Dogs and the Dallas Roadrunners, though the Devil Dogs apparently fired Bo Francy as head coach two days earlier.
On October 28, the ALL site was updated to list BJ O'Hara and Ted Garber, previous just listed as coaches, as members of the Board of Directors. It also lists PJ Kavanagh as a board member, the first mention of Kavanagh as being attached to the league. Kavanagh currently coaches high school lacrosse in Ohio, and is listed as the Associate Director of Player Development for True Cleveland. The last employee is Jo Jo War Drummer, a longtime lacrosse social media personality, listed as the Denver Thunderbirds Head of Media Relations. There is still no specific information available about investors or financial support, and this is the first time board members have been named. The images for all everyone on the page are AI generated. The ALL also blocked me on Instagram on October 28.
The entire saga brings back memories of a previous story in pro lacrosse. In 1987, the Major Indoor Lacrosse League launched. It was the league that would eventually become the modern day NLL. It was successful quickly, with sizable crowds and fans in year one. A year later, Terry Wallace and Bruce Meierdiercks founded the American Lacrosse League as a competitor. The ALL would be different as it was an outdoor league, and it would be branded as more family friendly. There would be no alcohol sales, and players would be drug tested. Though the drug testing reportedly never occurred. Founders of the ALL insisted they were on solid financial ground and had put $2 million into the league, a sizable investment in 1988. They secured world class players including names like Brooks Sweet, Tim Schurr, Gerry Byrne, Todd Curry, Brian Wood, and more. Despite the claims of being on sound financial ground and having elite talent, the league failed almost immediately. That initial financial situation was way overstated. Only a few hundred fans came to the games. Player paychecks bounced. Games were being postponed by mid-May even though the season started in April, and the league was finished after less than two months.
A quick bulleted summary:
In July, Apex Lacrosse League began appearing on social media in AI generated graphics. It pivoted to Alpha Lacrosse League due to overlap with the well established brand name Apex Lacrosse Events. In a Reddit post, the ALL founder suggested after he changed the league name, the two are now working closely together. Apex says they have no relationship whatsoever with the ALL.
In August, the ALL Instagram page posts that they'll be holding a two day draft in March in Miami, FL at the InterContinental Hotel's Grand Ballroom. This hotel has no record of any ALL events taking place.
In September, the ALL founder claimed in a Reddit post that the PLL was starting to support the league. The PLL says they have had no communications of any kind with the ALL.
In October, the ALL founder said that Poseidon Asset Management was fully funding the league. Poseidon released a statement saying they have no financial involvement with the league in any way. The ALL founder also said Poseidon was a major factor in his multi million dollar exit from a cannabis company, but there are no records linking Poseidon to any of the cannabis companies, or the founder himself, as mentioned by the founder either on podcasts or on his LinkedIn profiles under either name he has used.
In October, Albany combine registrants were told the combine would be moved to Syracuse. Syracuse confirms there are no events scheduled with the ALL, either at the facility the ALL cited in their message or at any other facility associated with the school, and they have had no communication at all with the ALL.
In October, the founder appeared on the Mitchell Pehlke show and said that salaries would be $22k to $32k, with player equity in the league available. He appeared on a different podcast and said the minimum salary is $10k, with a weekly bonus structure.
In late October, it became clear that the founder, using the name Michael Maloney, had also used the name Michael Schuller. He had been arrested for DUI in North Carolina in 2025, DUI in California in 2018, has arrest warrants in Missouri and Arizona, and has been subject to civil and criminal lawsuits in these states that span at least the last five years. Neither name had verifiable connections to Poseidon or any other funding claims being made.
Bo Francy, who at one time was hired as a head coach of the San Diego Devil Dogs, alleges that he was also told Poseidon group was funding the league, investigated it himself and found that it wasn't true, and that Maloney removed him from league materials, apparently firing him, when he began asking more questions around being paid and league structure.
A common refrain in the pro lacrosse space is that there just aren’t enough opportunities to play. Breaking into leagues like the Premier Lacrosse League and National Lacrosse League is hard, holding onto a roster spot long term is even harder. Just being seen and getting on the radar of PLL or NLL coaches can feel like an impossible mountain to climb. Fans are quick to point out the high level talent that is sitting in the league player pools, or is cut after a single training camp and not heard from again.
The question at the end of all this is, what happens now. To a man, the sentiment of the players I spoke with about the ALL is "I just want to play lacrosse." Players are hungry for the opportunity to play. Most consider this to be a relatively low risk. If it does end up being a farce, they can go back to the jobs they're currently doing. If it does work out, they can finally get the chance to play lacrosse professionally. Players who decide they want to pursue professional lacrosse through this pathway can sign with an ALL team if they wish. Lacrosse does, in fact, need more opportunities and pathways for players to the professional level. The idea of a G-League for the PLL is not a bad idea. One the Colorado Lacrosse News podcast, Maloney/Schuller points out that the PLL will be selling franchises soon, and will be capital heavy. That's correct. The PLL has stated they are hoping to sell franchises to individual owners in the next few years, which would be a major liquidity event. Maloney/Schuller said on that pod that maybe at that time, the PLL sees the ALL as a turnkey solution to buy and serve as a developmental league. There are a lot of other intricacies to the investment side of how that might work, but it's not a bad idea on its face. However the events of the last week, and the ALL's tone shift to being more adversarial towards the PLL, have lacrosse fans unsure of whether or not they can trust this new league.
Maloney/Schuller having legal issues in his past does not prevent him from starting and running a business. Everyone makes mistakes, everyone is afforded the opportunity to learn from them, grow, and move on with their lives. However, the lack of transparency, and the misleading claims about league funding, gave multiple people I spoke with about the ALL serious pause about joining. My invitation to the ALL to speak on the podcast, or on the record for an article, clarifying exactly what people and/or investment entities are currently funding the ALL remains open and available.
Players considering signing an contract with a pro sports team in any league, be it PLL, NLL, ALL, or anywhere else, are always well served by having legal counsel or a licensed sports agent review the contract first.
Comments